2. Learning

Question 1

Definition of Learning

Answer 1

an enduring change in the mechanisms of behavior that result from experience and environmental events

Question 2

Performance

Answer 2

Change in behavior based on opportunity and motivation (not learning)

Question 3

Functional definition of learning

Answer 3

a process that allow animals to adjust to their environment through individual experience

Question 4

Phenotype plasticity

Answer 4

is the ability of an organism to produce different phenotypes depending on the environment

Question 5

two non-associative learning phenomena

Answer 5

Habituation & Sensitization

Question 6

two Associative/Cognitive learning phenomena

Answer 6

Classical conditioning & Instrumental conditioning

Question 7

Non-associative learning

Answer 7

Reactions to stimulus events in the environment (hard-wired responses)

Question 8

Taxis

Answer 8

reflexive locomotion and orientation to a stimulus

Question 9

two types of taxis

Answer 9

phototaxis and geotaxis

Question 10

Phototaxis

Answer 10

orient to light

Question 11

Geotaxis

Answer 11

orient to spatial/physical position

Question 12

two types of Orienting responses

Answer 12

Innate response to a novel stimulus & Fixed Action Patterns

Question 13

Fixed Action Patterns

Answer 13

species specific stereotypical response; Dependent on sign stimuli acting as “releaser”

Question 14

types of non-associative learning

Answer 14

Habituation & Sensitization

Question 15

Sensitization

Answer 15

Increase in responsiveness after repeated exposure to a stimulus

Question 16

Habituation

Answer 16

decrease in responsiveness after repeated exposure to a stimulus

Question 17

what are the two distinctions between sensitization and habituation

Answer 17

Strong stimulus- sensitization predominates; Weak stimulus- habituation predominates

Question 18

what is the dual process theory

Answer 18

Habituation and sensitization are not mutually exclusive; Two neural process work together; the behavioral outcome depends on which system is most active; Reduce reactivity to irrelevant stimuli or increase to relevant stimuli

Question 19

Classical conditioning

Answer 19

associative learning of stimuli and stimulus responses

Question 20

Varieties of classical conditioning

Answer 20

Appetitive learning: unconditioned stimulus is pleasant (e.g., food and sex); Aversive learning: unconditioned stimulus is unpleasant (e.g., electric shock)

Question 21

two types of Stimulus contingencies

Answer 21

Excitatory conditioning & Inhibitory condition

Question 22

What is excitatory conditioning

Answer 22

The presence of one stimuli is followed by another

Question 23

What is inhibitory conditioning

Answer 23

The presence of one stimuli is NOT followed by another

Question 24

What is second-order conditioning

Answer 24

CS serves as a US for a new cue

Question 25

What is compound conditioning

Answer 25

Presentation of 2 CSs; overshadowing; latent inhibition

Question 26

What is overshadowing

Answer 26

Compound stimulus in which one is more salient

Question 27

What is latent inhibition

Answer 27

Preexposure to CS results in slower learning

Question 28

What is blocking

Answer 28

A previously learned CS-US association prevents learning that CS2 also predicts US

Question 29

What are functional and adaptive aspects of classical conditioning

Answer 29

Taste aversion and sexual conditioning

Question 30

Three components of instrumental learning

Answer 30

Discriminative stimulus, response, reinforcing stimulus

Question 31

What is a discriminative stimulus

Answer 31

It is a cue not a US or CS

Question 32

Voluntary

Answer 32

Creation of new behavior defined by what is required to obtain reinforced or avoid punisher

Question 33

Consequence

Answer 33

Reinforcer or punisher

Question 34

Stimulus

Answer 34

A signal for when response will lead to consequence

Question 35

Who created the law of effect

Answer 35

Thorndike

Question 36

What is the law of effect

Answer 36

Established an association between the response and the stimulus in the presence of which the response is performed

Question 37

What is the Clark Hull reduction theory

Answer 37

Proposed that what makes something an effect reinforcer is its ability to return the organism to the homeostasis point

Question 38

What makes good primary reinforcers

Answer 38

Stimuli that are capable of reducing biological drives

Question 39

What is a good secondary reinforcer

Answer 39

Stimuli associated with drive reduction thru classical conditioning

Question 40

What did David Premack propose about probability response

Answer 40

The opportunity to perform a higher probability response will serve as a reinforcer for the lower probability response

Question 41

What are constraints on learning

Answer 41

Indistinctive drift and misbehavior

Question 42

What is indistinctive drift

Answer 42

Instinctual behaviors compete with learned behaviors

Question 43

What are two ways that respondent conditioning influences operant behavior

Answer 43

Motivational effects and response cueing effects

Question 44

What are motivational effects

Answer 44

Changing motivational support for behavior

Question 45

What are response cueing effects

Answer 45

Cues that are associated with an operant response

Question 46

What are the two views of divergence in learning

Answer 46

Ecological view and general process view

Question 47

What is the ecological view

Answer 47

Learning mechanisms solve specific ecological problems

Question 48

What is the general process view

Answer 48

Most ecological niches involve causality, space, and time

Question 49

What types of aggression is there

Answer 49

Intrinsic aggression and extrinsic aggression

Question 50

What is intrinsic aggression

Answer 50

Inherent fighting ability

Question 51

What is extrinsic aggression

Answer 51

Winning and losing effects